How Japanese Textbooks Shaped Korea’s Horned 'Dokkaebi' Image
Creatrip Team
23 days ago
Korean folklorist Kim Jong-dae argues that the familiar horned dokkaebi (Korean goblin) image originated during Japan’s colonial rule, when the colonial education office included illustrations of the Japanese oni (demon) in the Korean reader 'Joseon-eodokbon' from the 1920s. Historically, dokkaebi in Korean sources were playful household or guardian spirits—called names like dotgabi, heoju, or dokgakgwi—associated with longevity, wealth, music and mischief, not fearsome monsters. The National Folk Museum’s new children’s exhibit “My Friend Dokkaebi” aims to correct misunderstandings: surveys showed many children associate dokkaebi with the horned oni, but when told traditional tales they respond that dokkaebi seem friendly and fun. The museum categorizes dokkaebi tales into ten types and reimagines them as adventure stories encouraging play and curiosity. Kim calls the textbook illustrations a form of “cultural invasion,” saying the image was planted through schooling rather than natural cultural exchange.
